Destiny 2: The Final Shape Reviews
Destiny 2: The Final Shape mixes incredible environmental art, fun gameplay, and a compelling new subclass with a boring story full of predictable cliches. It’s not the rebirth of Destiny 2 that some were hoping for, but it’s still as fun to play as ever. If you felt burnt out this expansion isn’t likely to change that. If you want to ignore a disappointing story and enjoy a gorgeous new area to play through with a plethora of fun new toys then this one is worth checking out once the server issues clear up, if the $50 price tag doesn't scare you off.
It’s hard to keep something going for ten years, especially a Live Service game. The industry is littered with failed attempts at building ten-year plans. Despite Destiny’s many ups and downs and lack of consistent quality through the years, Destiny 2: The Final Shape completes Bungie’s ambitious ten-year plan and mostly sticks the landing. Its story is the most focused a Destiny tale has ever gotten, opting to focus on character interactions, linear level design and heartfelt payoffs. While this route meant a complete neglect of the series’ big bad, it did culminate in an epic finale to the Light and Darkness saga.
Bungie has been promising the world to us with Destiny 2: The Final Shape and has proven that competent and cohesive story writing is something that is no longer on the cards for Destiny 2. While the story is quite disappointing, there are at least steps in the right direction in a game design sense to make the game feel better to play.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape is the greatest DLC Bungie has ever put out, rivaling the stupendous quality of both The Taken King and Forsaken.
The Final Shape really feels intended for players that already have a history or a familiarity with the franchise already established, and doesn’t seem like it’s any better of an opportunity to bring in new or returning players. There’s nothing here to hold your hand and show you what content to do in which order, and menu navigation and item management is no better than it was before. The fact that much of the older story content has been vaulted and is currently unplayable is still a sore spot for a lot of players too, myself included. If you haven’t already invested into Destiny, then The Final Shape doesn’t provide much reason to start now. If you have, however; I think it’s worth it to yourself (and to your Guardian) to finish what you started oh so many years ago.
Bungie sticks the landing as it finally brings together the threads of its epic first saga.
The Final Shape is one of Destiny 2's best expansions and a worthy conclusion to the Light and Darkness saga. Lots of content, all beautifully crafted, including an outstanding campaign and exciting endgame activities, are matched by a new subclass and the introduction of some brand new enemies. The latter are not very inspired, to be honest, but in some specific situations they require changing approaches to confrontations to get the upper hand. All in all, a big yes for The Final Shape and for Bungie, which can thus redeem itself after the débâcle of Lightfall.
Review in Italian | Read full review
With "The Final Form", Destiny developer Bungie is taking no risks and presenting an expansion that builds on the strengths of "Destiny 2". Awesome gameplay with gun and space magic that feels as fresh as it can be after more than 6 and 10 years respectively due to a new focus and a new race of enemies. If you like this gameplay or story, you get a fantastic conclusion to the first saga of the universe. Even though the game is slowly showing its age more and more, it is still a lot of fun and if you only want to get involved in the game once a year and don't feel like the live content, you should not miss this expansion.
Review in German | Read full review
Bungie wrapped up the 10-year saga with a gripping story with Destiny 2: The Final Shape. This is one of the best expansions Bungie has ever put out. The story felt complete and the closure it brought felt right. There are still some questions up in the air, but that is the purpose of a live service game where some of it is told in the lore and the rest is up to interpretation.
The Final Shape is the best thing that has ever happened to Destiny 2. I can only imagine the Herculean work that went into the expansion, and I'm grateful for all the emotions I've received. There are a lot of great additions to talk about: Transcendence, new weapons, new enemies, new mechanics, the Pale Heart zone… To sum it up, Bungie completed the main story in such a way that makes one want to believe in it.
I’ve been emotionally preparing myself to hang up my Arbalest and ride off into the sunset after The Final Shape. Destiny 2 is a game that means a lot to me, so much that I’m not prepared to watch it slowly turn into a shadow of what it once was. But this expansion restored my faith in Destiny and made me eager to see what the frontiers the future has in store. There’s been ups and downs over the years, but this proves the trajectory of Destiny 2 is onward and upward. It proves we can expect Bungie will learn from mistakes and that there are bigger and better things in Destiny’s future. I worried this would be the end, but now The Final Shape just feels like the end of the beginning.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape delivers on its promise to give an emotional and exhilarating ending to a 10-year saga. There is still more to come as the story wraps up loose ends, but the direction this finale is heading is a truly great one.
With great additions such as the Prismatic subclass, new ways of telling your narrative, a refined system that dilutes excessive grinding and a new level of difficulty, The Final Shape delivers an experience that will captivate any player who has had his mark on the guardians' journey. I confess that I entered this era feeling hopeless, wanting to end my story with Destiny exactly at the end of this saga, but I left excited and hopeful for the future of the Vanguard and the Traveler.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Final Shape is an absolute success in every facet of the word. Developers worked tirelessly to deliver a game that felt great to play, was rewarding, and even pulled us in with massive lore bits to nibble on while we weren’t playing.
Bungie has ended the 10-year adventure in an incredible way.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Destiny 2: The Final Form is essentially the promised and deserved conclusion to a saga that began so many years ago. It mixes a very well-tied (even predictable) narrative, wonderful setting and the usual excellent gameplay with some important additions. It's the best thing about the franchise.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Final Shape is simultaneously Destiny 2's most personal, most daring, and most conservative expansion yet, pushing boundaries while also playing it safe.
When Destiny content is bad, it can be some of the worst out there. However, when it's good, there's nothing quite like it. The Final Shape delivers on all its promises and then some, providing an emotional catharsis for long-time fans while paving the road ahead for the future.
Bungie's conclusion to Destiny's first 10 years more than sticks the landing.
For better or worse, there's nothing quite like Destiny 2, and The Final Shape has done nothing but remind us of that with great vehemence.
Review in Italian | Read full review